Liquid dispensing system



Feb. 6, 1940. E. F. MCCRORY 2,189,448

LIQUID DISPENSING SYSTEM Filed July 14, 1937 .EN wm @a ,fag i ,/g. INVENTOR.

A T TORNEYS.

Patented Feb. 6, 1940 UNITED sirs eared ortica This invention relates toa fluid dispensing system, more particularly vfor beverages such as beer7 ale or other-carbonated or charged beverages, and

is so arranged as to have particular usefulness in.

' connection with the type of beverages from which v there occurs an organic or other deposit which may collect in the pipes to contaminate the bever-` age or impair' the use of the system. y

An object of this invention is to save `thecluan- 'ti'ty of the beverage, particularly such as beer, which usually becomes flat by standing in the pipes overnight and is drawn off in the morning and thrown away because of its condition.

Another object of the invention is to empty the pipes of the beverage by forcing the beverage back into the containing barrel or reservoir so that there will be none of the beverage in the pipe overnight or during any length of standing, thus preventing chemical action of the beverage on the metal pipe and deposits from occurring inthe pipes.

Another object of the invention yis the provision of a control for the desired operations adjacent the tap or draft apparatus so that such operation .may be effected while standing at the bar or tap spigot such that wat-er may be passed through these lines, with an arrangement so that the water cannot become mixed with any of the beverage which is dispensed. V

Another obpect of the invention is an arrangement so that the cleaning water may 'be left within the pipes during their time of idleness and the water alone drawn off prior tothe draft of the beverage to the dispensing point so that the water rather than the beverage may be thrown away with a corresponding saving in expense in' the cost of the beverage.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an arrangement so that a cleaning chemical may be inserted into the washing water for cleaning the tubes as desired and as before indicated; such chemical cannot mix with or contaminate thc beverage by reason of the arrangement of the controls. l

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel featuresof construction, as will be more fully described, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims,

ln the accompanying drawing:l

l is a diagrammatic view of the arrangement of pipes and controls for this iiuiddispens ing system;

Figs. 2 to 5 kinclusive are diagrammatic views showing the passages of the control valves.

in fluid dispensing systems where there occurs "I a barrel or reservoir of the beverage which is located at some point from the position of draft, pipe lines extend from this reservoir or barrel to a dispensing point, in the case of beer, to the tap at a bar; and. the beverage is usually cooled at l condition occurs, to ydraw oif a suilicient quanl0 tity of the beverage to drain the pipe of the vol'- ume which has been standing overnight and to throw away this drawn. oil dead or flat` tasting beverage. It is also known that such beverages as beer or ale react chemically with the mei tallic pipe lines and vform deposits sometimes called beer stone and sometimes organic deposits Which may become Veryfoul upon standing; and in orderto prevent these undesirable results in this system I provide for the forcing of the beverage back to its source of supply orinto the barrel, in the case of beer, upon closing the bar at night, so that no beverage will be standing in the pipe overnight; and ii desired, I may wash the pipe each night and leave the water standing in the pipe overnight to be drawn off in the morning followed by the beverage which it is desired to be dispensed, so that in this case it is merely necessary to throw away the vwater rather than to throw away the the more costly beverage which 40 may be sold; and the following is a more detailed description of the present embodiment of this invention, illustrating the preierred means by which these advantageous. results may be accomplished.

With reference to the drawing, which is diagrammatic, I have illustrated the invention parthat there will be one tap for each barrel, whereas the other controls operate from common headers and may merely be added to each of the barrels or taps as such unit assembly is added.

With reference more particularly to the diagrammatic drawing, I have illustrated the boxlike chamber I0 of a bar in which ice is placed for the cooling of the beer dispensed. Taps for drawing the beverage are designated generally H, II and II which are connected by means of the conduits I2, I2 and I2", coils I3, I3', and I3, conduits I4, I4' and I4" to the barrels I5, I5 and I5. An air tank I6 having an automatic air pump I'I maintains through a conduit with an air filter I'I positioned therein a. certain desired pressure in the tank I6, such for instance as forty pounds. A conduit designated generally I8 has branch lines I9, IS' and I9 connected to the top of each barrel I5, I5 and I5" so as to supply pressure on the top of the beverage to be dispensed and force this beverage when the valves, which will be later explained, are properly positioned through the conduit I4, coil I3, conduit I2, to the tap II, or the corresponding similar conduits from the other barrels, as the case may be. This air under pressure is also conducted through the conduit 2t and through branch conduits 2|, 2I and 2| which are controlled by valves 22, 22 and 22" for forcing the beer or beverage back through the coil and conduits to the barrel. Each unit of barrel and tap is similar and a description of one will suice.

The valve 22 is a three-way valve, as indicated generally in Figs. 2 and 3. When the valve is in the position shown in Fig. 3 there is a direct passage from the coil I3 to the conduit I2, whereas when the valve is in the position as shown in Fig. 2 the passage I2 is cut oi and there is communication from the air line conduit 2I to the coil I3. The rotor portion of this valve is provided with a square head 25 upon which there may rit a socket wrench for turning the valve from the position shown in Fig. 3 to the position shown in Fig. 2, or vice versa.

In the conduit I4 adjacent the barrel I5 there is also located a similar three-way valve designated 26. When the valve is arranged as shown in Fig. 4 the barrel I5 is connected to the conduit I4, whereas when the valve is rotated to the position as shown in Fig. 5 the contents of the barrel I5 is cut off and the line I4 is connected to a conduit 2'! leading from a suitable water supply or header 28. This header 28 is connected to the main water supply designated 29 and is controlled by shut oiT valve 30 with a reducing valve 3i in the line so as to reduce the pressure of the water to be used to approximately twenty pounds from that which usually exists in the line at about ninety-five pounds. There is also located in this header a cup-like container 32 which may receive some chemical to be dissolved in the water and transmitted by it for cleaning purposes, this chemical usually existing in the form of a powder which may be deposited in the container 32 and picked up by the passage of the water to be transmitted through the line. A suitable pressure indicator 33 is provided in the water header that the correct pressure may be observed therein, which if not desired may be regulated by changing the reducing valve 3|.

The air pressure has a control shut 01T valve 35 and two reducing valves 35 and 3l. The reducing valve causes the pressure in the line which is connected to the taps and as indicated line. Suitable shut off valves, as 40, and 40 may also be provided for each of the individual conduits IS, I9 and I9.

It will be readily apparent that in the use of this apparatus for dispensing of beer or other beverage, that if it is desired to close down the bar at night it will be merely necessary for the bar tender or operator to apply a handle to the squared end 25 of the valve 22, turning the valve from the position indicated in Fig. 3 to the position indicated in Fig. 2, whereupon the eighteen pounds pressure of air will force the beer back through the coil I3, conduit I4 and into the barrel I5 which is under a pressure of only fifteen pounds; and if desired, the air may remain in the pipe overnight, the operator merely turning the valve 25 in the morning from the position shown in Fig. 2 to the position shown in Fig. 3, to again conn-ect up the system, whereupon upon opening the tap the air will be quickly dispensed and fresh beer will be drawn from the tap. If, however, it is desired to wash the conduits I4, coil I3 and conduit I2, after the valve 22 has been positioned as shown in Fig. 2, and the air has driven the beer back to the barrel I5, the valve 22 will be turned back to the position shown in Fig. 3, the contents of the tube then being lled with air, will prevent the entrance of any liquid thereinto from the beer barrel. The valve 26 will now be turned by the similarly squared end to dispose this valve in the position shown in Fig. 5, whereupon the water under twenty pounds pressure will be applied at the valve 26 and the beer will be completely shut off from the water so that no intermixing can occur. Then upon opening the tap II the air which is in the pipe will be forced out followed by water which will completely ll the pipe and wash the same by drawing the water through the tap. When there has been substantially a complete passage through the tap, the tap may be closed and the water may be left to remain in the pipes I4, coil I3 and conduit I2 overnight and in the morning or even the last thing at night if the water has been lodged in the pipe the valve 45 may be turned back to the position shown in Fig. 4, which completely shuts off the Water. Then upon opening the tap the water will first be expelled from the pipe I4 followed by the beer which cannot mix with the Water because there is no circulation of these liquids one with the other, the beer merely pressing against the water to force it out of the tap.

If it is desired that some cleaning solution be placed in the water for chemically acting upon any of the organic or other deposits in the pipe this may be inserted in the cup 32 in the header 28 whereupon the water as it passes through the pipes will cause this chemical to act upon and clean the pipes which may be followed by pure water, if desired.

The arrangement is such that a barrel may be very simply changed in its usual manner by merely extracting the fittings from the top and lower end thereof, in a known and usual manner.

The foregoing description is directed solely towards the construction illustrated, but I desire it to be understood that I reserve the privilege of resorting to all the mechanical changes to which the device is susceptible, the invention being dened and limited only by the terms of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A system of the class described comprising a supply reservoir, a dispensing tap, a dispensing conduit connecting said reservoir to said tap, an air pressure tank, an air conduit leading from said tank to said reservoir to supply pressure thereto, a valve in said dispensing conduit adjacent said tap, an air conduit leading from said tank to said valve to supply pressure thereto at a higher pressure than that supplied to said reservoir, both of said air supply conduits being permanently connected at all times to supply pressure at their conducting destinations, said valve being so constructed tliatit may be moved ,so that the dispensing conduit may be connected either to said tap or to said air conduit to force the liquid back into said reservoir.

2. A system of the class described comprising a supply reservoir, a dispensing tap, a dispensing conduit connecting said reservoir to said tap, an air pressure tank, an air conduit leading from said tank to said reservoir to supply pressure thereto, a valve in said dispensing conduit adjacent said tap, an air conduit leading from said tank to said valve to supply pressure thereto at a higher pressure than that supplied to said reservoir, both of said air supply conduits being permanently connected at all times to supply pressure at their conducting destinations, said valve being so constructed thatit may be moved so that the dispensing conduit may be connected either to said tap or to said air conduit to force the liquid back into said reservoir, a cleaning control valve located in said dispensing conduit adjacent said reservoir, and a Water conduit connected to said cleaning control Valve, said valve so constructed that it may be moved so that the dispensing conduit may be connected to said Water conduit and the communication With the reservoir shut 01T or connected to the reservoir and the Water conduit closed.

3. A system of the class described comprising a plurality of supply reservoirs, a dispensing tap for-each reservoir, a dispensing conduit connecting each reservoir with its tap, an air pressure tank common to all of saidfseparate reservoirs and taps, an air conduit having branches leading to each reservoir to supply air pressure thereto, a valve in each dispensing conduit adjacent said tap, an air conduit With branches leading to each valve to supply air thereto at a pressure greater than the pressure supplied to' said reservoir, both of said air supply conduits being permanently connected lat all times to supply pressure at their conducting destinations, each of said valves being so constructed andarranged that it may be moved. tov connect the dispensing conduit either to said tap or to saidair conduit to force the liquid back into said reservoir.

4. A system of the class described comprising a plurality of supply reservoirs, a dispensing tap for each reservoir, a dispensing conduit connecting each reservoir With its tap, an air pressure tank common to all of said separate reservoirs and taps, an air conduit having branches leading to each reservoir to supply air pressure thereto, a valve in each dispensing conduit adjacent said tap, an air conduit With branches leading to each valve to supply air thereto at a pressure greater than the pressure supplied to said reservoir, both of said air supply conduits being permanently connected atv al1 times to supply pressure at their conducting destinations, each of said valves being so constructed and arranged that it may be moved to connect the dispensing conduit either to said tap or to said air conduit to force the liquid back into said reservoir, a cleaning control valve located in each of said dispensing conduits adjacent said reservoir, and a Water header having a Water conduit connected from each cleaning control valve to said header, each of vsaid valves being so constructed and arranged that it may be moved so that the dispensing conduit may be connected to said Water conduit and the communication with the reservoir shut off or connected to the reservoir and the Water conduit closed.

EDWARD 1'". McCRORY. 

